WORLD BRIEFING | ASIA; Pakistan: Like Rushdie, a Lofty Title For Bin Laden

By JANE PERLEZ

Published: June 22, 2007

A group of clerics, the Pakistan Ulema Council, said they had given Osama bin Laden the title Saifullah, or sword of Allah, in response to the British government's decision to give Salman Rushdie, the author of ''The Satanic Verses,'' a knighthood. The chairman of the council, Tahir Ashrafi, said that since Mr. Rushdie, who is considered a blasphemer by many Muslims in Pakistan, had been given the title ''Sir,'' then Mr. bin Laden, a holy warrior in the eyes of the council, should be given a parallel title. The gesture was a more lighthearted reaction to the honor for Mr. Rushdie than the noisy protests of demonstrators in some cities of Pakistan. On Monday, Pakistan's Parliament passed a resolution condemning the knighthood and said it should be withdrawn.